Two people were killed and seven others injured in violent nighttime skirmishes between Fulani herders and community members in Dagaceri, Birniwa Local Government Area, Jigawa State.
The communal clashes reflect long-standing tensions between farmers and herders competing for land and resources throughout the region.
Hassan Abdullahi, an eyewitness, told our correspondent on Thursday about the frightening Wednesday night incident: “People were running everywhere.” It was a horrifying sight to see assailants set fire to homes and commit brutality against families.
Another homeowner, Izaddeen Usman, stated, “I hid with my children in the bushes.” Screams permeated the night. “We feared for our lives.”
A local farmer, Malam Sani, blamed the violence on suspected Fulani herders trespassing on their farmlands.
“The conflict is about grazing land; the herdsmen’s cattle kept damaging our farms. The tension finally exploded into violence.”
On Thursday evening, Jigawa State Police Public Relations Officer SP Shi’isu Adam confirmed the incident and said seven suspects had been arrested in connection with the attack.
“Weapons, including bows and arrows, cutlasses, phones, and local charms, were recovered at the scene,” he disclosed.
According to a police spokesperson, the attack occurred around midnight on Wednesday, causing terror and turmoil in the otherwise peaceful hamlet.
He stated that the police swiftly sent Operation Salama to the location to maintain order.
Adam informed the public that the police were still on high alert, stating, “Our officers are committed to protecting lives and property.” We will continue to prosecute all responsible parties.”
However, Malam Garba, a prominent figure in the area, urged for peace while speaking exclusively with the PUNCH Metro over the phone, asking the warring parties to resolve their problems through conversation. “More loss of life cannot be tolerated,” he told reporters.
Similarly, another elder in the neighborhood, Usman Tela, told our correspondent by phone that “we are hopeful for peace. We want to live in harmony, farm peacefully, and raise our children without fear of violence.”
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As families left for safety, security agencies patrolled Dagaceri and surrounding districts to prevent new outbreaks and keep the peace.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Fulani group’s leadership through the Jigawa State chapter of ‘Kautel Houre’ were futile, as calls to the forum’s chairman in the state went unanswered despite numerous attempts.
Comrade Musbahu Basirka, a Jigawa-based human rights activist who spoke with our correspondent over the phone, condemned the violence and urged immediate government intervention to safeguard impacted people.
Basirka also urged all parties concerned to embrace discussion and peaceful cooperation, emphasizing that ongoing violence would only exacerbate tensions and misery in the region and the state as a whole.
He emphasized the significance of protecting human rights and urged security services to act quickly to prevent additional violence.
